Thursday, July 10, 2014

The Psychopath

The Problem of Evil in God's Creation

We've all read news reports of horrid cases of people being imprisoned
for long periods of time by perverted individuals who have been later
diagnosed as classic psychopaths. By definition,
psychopaths are individuals who are hateful towards others, and
incapable of empathy. Sometimes known as Dissocial Personality Disorder, or Narcissistic Personality Disorder (alternate terms for sociopathic behaviour), these people are callous individuals, who are unconcerned for
the feelings of others.

There is a lot of clinical evidence
that points to a biological grounding for the uncaring nature of the
psychopath. Since caring is a largely emotion-driven enterprise, it has
been found that the brains of psychopaths have weak connections among
the components of the brain’s emotional systems. Such disconnects make
it impossible for the psychopath to feel emotions deeply. Disgust, as an
emotion, plays an important role on our sense of ethics, and normal
people find certain types of unethical actions disgusting, something
that keeps them from engaging in cruel treatment of other people. But
psychopaths, when shown disgusting photos of mutilated faces and when
exposed to foul odors, have extremely high thresholds for disgust. In
rarer cases, the psychopathic personality can be the result of having
suffered an extremely abusive childhood.

Psychopaths, because
they have an inability to empathize with others, are unable to feel the
emotion of love. Simply put, psychopaths are not able to participate in
normal, loving relationships that bound people together, as family,
friends, and fellow human beings. Thus the question arises for the
Christian, how can a person who does not have the ability to love, love
God? And, if such a person is incapable of loving God, how can they
escape eternal hell fire, since it is in this life that we are expected
to prepare ourselves for an eternity in the presence of an All Holy God.
If a psychopath is incapable of loving God, can we even say such a
person was created in the image and likeness of God, Who is love? How
can God have even allowed such a person be born, for does not this birth
give life to someone who is totally incapable of gaining salvation?
Wouldn't such a birth be a violation of free will?

This
question can equally be posed regarding the child born without a brain,
or someone born without any cognitive abilities. Such abnormalities in
God's creation are ultimately the result, not of God's will, but the
result of the fall. The Scriptures identify sociopathic and psychopathic
behavior as among the severest moral and spiritual effects of man’s
fall into sin. Jesus described such sins as arising from evil hearts
(Mark 7:20-23), and the holy apostle Paul identified godlessness as the
root of such a deadly heart (Romans 1:28-32). In the psychopath we see
the worst characteristics of sinful man’s nature, the worst effects of
both genetic and environmental moral degradation.

The New
Testament does not offer specifics on how a Christian society should
deal with such serious problems. The Church's teachings about morality
and immorality of every kind, and her hopeful appeals and invitations to
repentance, conversion, and transformed life in Christ, certainly apply
to a psychopath as to any sinner. Saint Paul, describing conduct that
included psychopathic characteristics, wrote to one congregation of
believers in Jesus Christ, “Such were some of you” (1 Corinthians
6:9-11). As Orthodox Christians, we know that God is able to rescue and
restore to righteousness the most corrupt heart. Because of this, it is
possible for even a psychopath to be healed, and to come into a
transformational relationship with the Living God. Yet, ultimately, much
of this will remain a mystery to us, until that great day when we stand
in the presence of God, and all is revealed to us. I believe culpability is the primary factor. God will not damn someone for things outside of their control.

With love in Christ, Abbot Tryphon

Photos: The icon and relics of our monastery's patron saint, John the
Wonderwork of Shanghai and San Francisco, together with the patronal
icon of the church, the Protection of the Holy Virgin.

You can read the life of the saint by clicking on the highlighted name."Blogs and social networks give us new opportunities for the
Christian mission...Not to be present there means to display our
helplessness and lack of care for the salvation of our brothers." His Holiness Patriarch Kirill

The Scripture Readings for the Day

Romans 15:17-29

17 Therefore I have reason to glory in Christ Jesus in the things which pertain to God. 18 For
I will not dare to speak of any of those things which Christ has not
accomplished through me, in word and deed, to make the Gentiles
obedient— 19 in
mighty signs and wonders, by the power of the Spirit of God, so that
from Jerusalem and round about to Illyricum I have fully preached the
gospel of Christ. 20 And so I have made it my aim to preach the gospel, not where Christ was named, lest I should build on another man’s foundation, 21 but as it is written:

“To whom He was not announced, they shall see;And those who have not heard shall understand.”

Plan to Visit Rome

22 For this reason I also have been much hindered from coming to you. 23 But now no longer having a place in these parts, and having a great desire these many years to come to you, 24 whenever
I journey to Spain, I shall come to you. For I hope to see you on my
journey, and to be helped on my way there by you, if first I may enjoy
your company for a while. 25 But now I am going to Jerusalem to minister to the saints. 26 For
it pleased those from Macedonia and Achaia to make a certain
contribution for the poor among the saints who are in Jerusalem. 27 It
pleased them indeed, and they are their debtors. For if the Gentiles
have been partakers of their spiritual things, their duty is also to
minister to them in material things. 28 Therefore, when I have performed this and have sealed to them this fruit, I shall go by way of you to Spain. 29 But I know that when I come to you, I shall come in the fullness of the blessing of the gospel of Christ.

Matthew 12:46-13:3

Jesus’ Mother and Brothers Send for Him

46 While He was still talking to the multitudes, behold, His mother and brothers stood outside, seeking to speak with Him. 47 Then one said to Him, “Look, Your mother and Your brothers are standing outside, seeking to speak with You.”48 But He answered and said to the one who told Him, “Who is My mother and who are My brothers?” 49 And He stretched out His hand toward His disciples and said, “Here are My mother and My brothers! 50 For whoever does the will of My Father in heaven is My brother and sister and mother.”

The Parable of the Sower

13 On the same day Jesus went out of the house and sat by the sea. 2 And
great multitudes were gathered together to Him, so that He got into a
boat and sat; and the whole multitude stood on the shore.3 Then He spoke many things to them in parables, saying: “Behold, a sower went out to sow.

All-Merciful
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